When playing a game, the screen suddenly freezes, or a horizontal line appears, tearing the image apart. This experience is really annoying. Many people spend a lot of money to buy graphics cards, but find that the game screen is not as smooth as expected. The problem usually lies in the cooperation between the display device and the graphics card.
The cause of screen tearing
When the refresh rate of the monitor is fixed, but the number of frames rendered by the graphics card continues to change, if the rhythms of the two are inconsistent, it will cause tearing in the screen. For example, the monitor refreshes 60 times per second, but the graphics card outputs 61 frames. The extra frame will forcibly interrupt the display process, causing two picture fragments at different times to appear on the screen at the same time.
This mismatch is particularly noticeable when the perspective is rapidly rotated or when the scene changes suddenly. A clearly visible horizontal crack will appear in the picture, as if the image has been torn into upper and lower parts. This situation not only affects the visual experience, but also causes players to make judgment errors in competitive games.
Traditional solution for vertical synchronization
The early solution was to enable the vertical sync function, which stipulated that the graphics card output frame rate should not exceed the monitor refresh rate so that the two could be synchronized. This could eliminate tearing, but it also led to a new situation, that is, when the graphics card rendering speed is lower than the refresh rate, the screen would be significantly stuck.
For example, in complex scenes, the frame rate drops from 60 to 45. Players will feel a constant sense of frustration because they have to wait for the next refresh cycle. This method of sacrificing smoothness for synchronization actually leads to a reduced operating experience in many action games.
Adaptive sync technology debuts
In order to match the frame rate in a more flexible way, adaptive synchronization technology was promptly produced. Its core point is that the refresh rate of the display is not in a fixed state, but can dynamically follow the output frame rate of the graphics card and change in real time according to the actual situation. In this way, on the one hand, it can prevent screen tearing, and on the other hand, it can avoid lagging caused by forced synchronization.
This technology needs to be supported by the display panel and the signal interface must also be supported at the same time. It uses two-way communication to allow the graphics card to immediately notify the display to refresh after completing a frame of rendering, achieving precise coordination from source to end.
How G-Sync works
The G-Sync technology introduced by Nvidia requires a dedicated processing chip built into the monitor. The chip is responsible for receiving the frame ready signal sent by the graphics card and accurately controlling the refresh timing of the LCD panel. Starting from the first generation that required a dedicated module, until later it was compatible with the standard adaptive synchronization protocol, G-Sync has been continuously evolving.
After G-Sync is turned on, when the game frame rate fluctuates within the range of 40 to 144, the refresh rate of the monitor will also change synchronously. What the player sees will always be complete and continuous frames, and there will be no splitting of the screen or sudden pauses.
Free-Sync’s open standard
Free-Sync launched by AMD is based on the public DisplayPort adaptive synchronization protocol. It does not require a dedicated hardware module and can be implemented as long as the display's driver board supports the protocol. This reduces the technical threshold and cost, allowing more displays to provide synchronization functions at a lower price.
Users can enable Free-Sync in the graphics card control panel and use a DisplayPort cable to connect. After enabling it, the monitor's refresh rate will match the graphics card frame rate in real time, maintaining a complete picture within the range of 48 to the highest refresh rate.
How to choose and set up
When choosing synchronization technology, the first thing to check is the graphics card brand. For N cards, the first priority is a G-Sync compatible monitor, while for A cards, Free-Sync is the first thing to consider. Today, there are many monitors that support both protocols. However, the best experience still requires matching the corresponding graphics card. When connecting, be sure to use a DP cable, because in some versions of the HDMI interface, full function performance may not be enabled.
After turning on the corresponding option in the system settings, you can see the real-time changes in the refresh rate in the game. The screen will remain intact when moving at high speed, and there will be no frustration when the frame rate fluctuates. This is especially important for competitive game players.
When choosing a monitor, do you pay more attention to the numerical value of the refresh rate, or do you care more about the actual effects of synchronization technology? You are welcome to share your own experience in the comment area. If you feel that this article is helpful, please support it by giving it a like.
